Almost seven months into the Israel-Hamas battle, Hamas launched a video Wednesday of California-born hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin. It’s the first time the American Israeli citizen, who was severely injured when Hamas attacked the Nova music pageant on Oct. 7, has been proven alive since his seize.
Within the video, the 23-year-old is lacking his left hand and a part of his arm — proof of the assaults he endured in October when Hamas assailants lobbed grenades right into a shelter the place he and his associates had sought refuge.
Goldberg-Polin, who was born in Berkeley, begins the heavily-edited, almost three-minute video figuring out himself by title.
Sitting in a chair towards a clean wall, he urges the Israeli authorities to right away convey him and different hostages dwelling earlier than addressing his dad and mom and two youthful sisters, Leebie and Orly.
“I like you a lot and miss you a lot and I take into consideration you day-after-day,” Goldberg-Polin informed his household, noting that he knew they had been doing their finest to convey him dwelling. “I need you to remain robust for me and never cease till all of us return dwelling in peace.”
Goldberg-Polin’s dad and mom expressed aid Wednesday to listen to their son’s voice for the primary time since Oct. 7.
Wearing darkish T-shirts marked with tape that learn “201” — a reference to the variety of days their son has been held in captivity — they mentioned in a videotaped assertion they had been overwhelmed to see Hersh alive, however involved about his well being and well-being.
“We’re right here at present with a plea to the entire leaders of the events who’ve been in negotiating so far,” mentioned his father, Jonathan Polin, naming Qatar, Egypt, america, Hamas and Israel. “Be courageous, lean in, seize this second and get a deal executed to reunite all of us with our family members and finish the struggling on this area.”
His mom, Rachel Goldberg, addressed her son straight: “Should you can hear us, I’m telling you, we’re telling you: ‘We love you. Keep robust, survive.’”
Hamas has issued comparable hostage movies — a tactic that Israel and varied human rights teams condemn as “psychological warfare” as a result of hostages seem and make statements beneath duress.
In an announcement, the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board mentioned that the Goldberg-Polin household had given permission for the video to be shared after its launch by Hamas.
“Hersh’s cry is the collective cry of all of the hostages — their time is quickly operating out,” the discussion board mentioned in a assertion. “With every passing day, the concern of shedding extra harmless lives grows stronger. We can’t afford to waste any extra time; the hostages have to be the highest precedence.”
With greater than 133 hostages nonetheless held captive by Hamas, the discussion board mentioned, “this distressing video serves as an pressing name to take swift and decisive motion to resolve this horrific humanitarian disaster.”
It isn’t clear when the video was filmed, however Goldberg-Polin wished his household a contented vacation, a probable reference to the Jewish Passover.
Within the video, Goldberg-Polin mentioned he went to the Nova pageant close to the Kibbutz Re’im on Oct. 7 in search of leisure with associates.
“As an alternative, I discovered myself struggling to outlive with severe accidents throughout my physique,” he mentioned. “Nonetheless, I took it upon myself to guard myself and the individuals who had been afraid round me as a result of there was nobody to guard us that day.”
Goldberg-Polin was 8 when his household moved to Israel from Richmond, Va.
His mom, Rachel Goldberg, final noticed him the night of Oct. 6, when he left a household dinner celebrating the Jewish vacation of Simchat Torah to fulfill his finest buddy.
Shortly after 8 a.m. the subsequent morning, his mom acquired two textual content messages. The primary mentioned “I like you.” The second: “I’m sorry.”
Throughout the assault, Goldberg-Polin took refuge with associates in a bomb shelter that Hamas assailants focused with grenades. His left arm was blown off from the elbow down.
A video Anderson Cooper later shared along with his dad and mom confirmed him accompanied by Hamas and coated in blood, heaving himself up onto the again of a pickup truck. His left arm was wrapped in a tourniquet.
Within the video shared by Hamas on Wednesday, Goldberg-Polin blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli officers for permitting him and different hostages to languish for 200 days.
Pointing on the digicam, he mentioned: “Benjamin Netanyahu and his authorities must be ashamed of yourselves since you uncared for us together with hundreds of different residents.”
“At a time if you find yourself holding lunches together with your households, consider us detainees in underground hell with out water, meals or solar; with out the therapy I want for therefore lengthy,” he mentioned. “Do what is predicted of you and convey us dwelling instantly.”
After killing about 1,200 individuals in southern Israel on Oct. 7, Hamas captured round 250 hostages, in accordance with Israeli officers.
Since Goldberg-Polin was captured, his mom has campaigned tirelessly for his launch, assembly President Biden and the pope and touring to New York and Geneva to deal with the United Nations.
Earlier this month, Goldberg was listed amongst Time’s listing of 100 most influential individuals of 2024, with the journal citing her advocacy on behalf of the “the households urgent relentlessly for the discharge of their family members — the one human beings who’ve skilled the wrath of each side within the Gaza Conflict.”
“Folks don’t appear to have the ability to maintain two truths,” Goldberg informed Time. “Folks really feel that you just both may be nervous concerning the harmless civilians in Gaza, otherwise you may be nervous concerning the 133 hostages. The reality is the 133 hostages are additionally a few of the civilians who’re harmless in Gaza.”
She added: “Of the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of harmless civilians in Gaza, I do know one in every of them. Very well.”
